There are a variety of floatation devices available on the market today. Some examples of floatation devices include boats, rafts, mattresses, tubes, watercrafts and floats. Some of the floatation devices are formed from pressurized pontoons, shaped fiberglass, or a dense foam material designed to provide the requisite bouncy needed for the floatation device to remain afloat. Popular floatation devices known in the art include inflatable life rafts. Inflatable life rafts provide the advantages of being compact, inexpensive to purchase, lightweight, and easy to store and transport when deflated.
Generally, inflatable life rafts are designed for either recreational use or are adapted for emergency or rescue operations. Most inflatable life rafts used for recreational activities typically include inflatable rafts or mattresses that are fabricated from a plastic or other gas impervious material forming one or more inflatable chambers for receiving air therein through an inflation valve. Most inflatable rafts do not provide an integrally formed storage carrier for storing the raft when in a deflated configuration. It is common that on many occasions, a user does not take the requisite time needed to adequately deflate the inflatable raft after use, resulting in the raft material rotting over time. In those occasions when a user does deflate the inflatable life raft, the user generally gathers the deflated raft together in a bundle making it difficult for storing, carrying and transporting the bulky raft. Most prior art inflatable rafts cannot be easily stored in a backpack, in luggage, hung in the closet, or conveniently transported effectively. In an emergency, the raft is not configured for a rapid and unencumbered deployment.
On occasion, a user may wish to bring along accessories when using an inflatable raft. Some examples of accessories may include beverages, food, rope, or safety equipment in general. These items could become essential in an emergency situation. Prior art inflatable rafts do not provide a container for storing accessories on the raft itself. In most situations, the user must store accessories in a separate container typically worn on the person or left in a nearby location away from the raft. Carrying and transporting a separate container on the person or leaving the container nearby for use is cumbersome, and often times impractical. In addition, most prior art inflatable rafts typically include a cord or rope attached to the raft for allowing a user to grasp the rope with one hand to hold onto the raft. However, the user is forced to actively hold onto the rope with the one hand making it difficult for the user to make use of both hands that may be freely used for swimming or signaling.
Often times when boating, some individuals feel nervous in relying only on a lift jacket. For some people a life jacket is just not enough. In the event of an emergency on the water, the life jacket does not offer the luxury of having life saving accessories available to the wearer. Further, in situations where only one floatation device is available to a plurality of people, such as a lifeboat, many individuals have difficulty swimming or simply cannot swim to a deployed lifeboat. Lifeboats tend to be bulky, expensive and permanently stored on a vessel.
Accordingly, there remains in the art a need for an inflatable life raft designed for recreational use, emergency use, or rescue operations where the inflatable life raft is inexpensive, easy to inflate, and includes a detachable accessory pouch for storing a variety of accessories available to a user. There is also a need for an inflatable life raft that is stored in a compact carrying case in folded form for easy transport, is readily accessible to anyone in time of need, and can be easily stored in a variety of places.